Chapter 16 - Part 2

Seeing Other Possibilities

Julia Alvarez talks with Chapter 16 about sisterhood, global community, and living by metaphor

By Joy Ramirez | August 25, 2020

Award-winning author Julia Alvarez helped pave the way for other Latina writers in the U.S. with her 1991 debut novel, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Alvarez talks with Chapter 16 about her latest novel, Afterlife, and what it means to envision new possibilities in this troubled time. She will appear at the 2020 Southern Festival of Books, held online October 1-11.

Cooking Through COVID

On the power of feeding people during hard times

By Joy Ramirez | June 11, 2020

Hard times have always pushed me into the kitchen, a place where I feel comfortable and safe. Feeding other people also makes me feel a little less powerless.

Honoring the Struggle

Fred Arroyo’s Sown in Earth offers a tender understanding of the immigrant experience

By Joy Ramirez | May 6, 2020

In a powerful collection of essays, MTSU professor Fred Arroyo remembers his immigrant father and considers his own evolution as a writer.

Scrappy Survivors

Claire Jimenez’s debut story collection packs a punch

By Joy Ramirez | February 14, 2020

Staten Island Stories, the debut story collection from Vanderbilt M.F.A. grad Claire Jimenez, depicts the diverse lives of the forgotten borough. Jimenez and poet Cara Dees will discuss their work at Vanderbilt University in Nashville on March 20.

Redemption Story

Free Cyntoia recounts a journey from victim to activist

By Joy Ramirez | December 2, 2019

At 16, Cyntoia Brown-Long was imprisoned for murdering a much older man. Her memoir, Free Cyntoia, tells the story of her awakening to her own history of abuse and her efforts to save other young women from the horrors of trafficking.

A Contagious Path to Change

Gloria Steinem’s most memorable words remain relevant

By Joy Ramirez | October 23, 2019

The Truth Will Set You Free, but First It Will Piss You Off! collects selected quotes and essays from Gloria Steinem’s many books, articles, and speeches, along with a few contributions from her famous friends, including Michelle Obama and bell hooks. Steinem will discuss the book at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville on November 1.

Tias and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us

By Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez, illustrated by Josie Del Castillo
Seal Press
304 pages
$30

“Within these pages, I found my abuela, my tías and my primas — laughing, crying, and nodding alongside me. This book is a gift of understanding, and loving one’s family, even when our families are complicated and painful. It’s a beautiful reminder of the power of storytelling and the profound connection of kinship.”

~ Paola Mendoza, author, organizer and filmmaker